P3D Re: MetaFlash

[Larry Berlin <lberlin@xxxxxxxxx>]

This is a new product, and appears to be another form of 2D views of a
true 3D reality mis-named *photorealistic 3D.*

It's a collaboration between MetaCreations and Minolta and MS.

>MetaFlash(tm) is the combination of a flash attachment and
>powerful software that reconstructs the digital pictures into
>high-quality, texture-mapped 3D wire frame models. These models
>are output in the MetaStream(tm) 3D file format designed for Intel
>Architecture for transmission over the internet, and web users can
>then view and manipulate the models with the MetaStream(tm)
>client-side engine. As announced on November 30, 1998, the
>MetaStream(tm) engine will be shipped by Microsoft as a
>component of Windows 98 and Windows 2000.

Leave it to MS and cohorts to devise yet another 3D reality viewable
only in 2D. The designer of the software is a physics whiz who has
learned to harness the triangulation inherent in stereo pairs (though
apparently he only uses one eye ;-) combined with texturing 3D objects
based on details of structure extracted from the photos. I assume that
the flash unit helps insure usable structure data. There was NO mention
of anything stereoscopic about this product. There may be the option of
writing new software to harness this technology to provide stereo
images.

A quote from the web page:
>*We believe that the ability to produce photo-realistic 3D images
>for the Internet will be an important driver of future digital camera
>demand,* said Mr. Nakai, general manager of DP Business
>Division of Minolta Co., Ltd

Read details for yourself at:
http://www.metastream.com/about/press.html

Larry Berlin

3D Webscapes
lberlin@xxxxxxxxx
http://www.sonic.net/~lberlin
http://3dzine.simplenet.com
*-) ---> :-) ---> 8-) ---> 8-O



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